Although many styles of zippers have good durability, it is sometimes desirable to replace or remove certain zipper components, e.g., when a component has become damaged or is approaching its anticipated lifetime. Although in some cases one may remove and replace the entire zipper structure, in others it may be preferable to remove only a single component, such as the zipper slider. One example is zippers which are installed in tents, awnings, backpacks and other camping equipment. In these cases, it has been the practice, in the past, when a zipper has failed or otherwise needs maintenance or repair, to return the entire tent or other such item to a central repair facility for replacement of the entire zipper structure. This procedure has been followed, in the past, even when the only one component such as a slider, needs to be removed. This procedure may lead to undesirably high expenses and an undesirably long maintenance or repair period.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a zipper and/or zipper component which could facilitate removal or repair of a zipper slider or other component, e.g., such that the component could be easily replaced at a retail level or in the field, without having to remove the entire zipper structure (often meaning removing stitching and then restitching the zipper tapes, typically requiring shipment to a central repair or maintenance facility as noted above). It would further be useful to provide a zipper structure which allows the end user to easily remove and/or replace a zipper component such as a zipper slider.